Dan Lu’s new Afro‑beat single “Triphonia Mpinganjira,” released Thursday, has sparked widespread negative reaction on YouTube despite its praise for the track’s namesake.
The first verse includes the lyric, “the one who gave birth to you is an angel; helping others nowadays isn’t easy, receive your flowers,” yet many listeners say the song is not good.
Comment threads filled quickly with criticism. “You are shaming us, this is not on,” wrote Gift Nachipo, while Margret Elias accused Dan Lu of opportunism: “He ate from Peter, Chakwera; now you want to eat from Triphonia.”Observers say the backlash follows a pattern.
Dan Lu’s recent songs, including a tribute to Blantyre Mayor Jomo, have prompted similar responses, and critics argue his frequent shifts in political alignment, from praising DPP to supporting MCP, make him appear a political chameleon, “changing colors like a lizard” to suit his surroundings.
The track’s subject, Triphonia Mpinganjira, is the wife of one of Malawi’s billionaires, a detail some commenters say undercuts the song’s sincerity and fuels accusations that Dan Lu is courting patrons.
Still, the song’s core message is simple:honor people while they are alive.
The lyric “receive your flowers” serves as a metaphor for giving recognition and respect in the present.
So far Dan Lu has continued to promote the single and has not publicly addressed the accusations.
Observers will be watching whether the controversy affects the song’s airplay or streaming performance.
